Diaries of a Temporal Displacement Victim
by Satou Asahira
Summary: After being thrown into the Inter-Dimensional Rift, Gilgamesh wakes up to find himself in an entirely new world that plays by a different set of rules. Contains some FFV spoilers.
1. Prologue: The Rift

Prologue

"Helloooo, what's this?" Bartz asked as he passed a treasure chest. "Score!"

"Bartz, we don't have time for that," Faris scolded.

"Aw, but what if it's a super strong weapon to help us beat Exdeath?"

"Jeez, just hurry up!" Kirle said.

"Don't mind if I do!" Bartz said and kicked the chest. It popped open to reveal...nothing. "Hey, what the?! It's empty!"

"Leave it!" Faris yelled and and turned to continue to the top floor of Exdeath's castle.

Bartz began to follow her but heard someone behind them. He whirled around to see a familiar. "Ah geez, Gilgamesh!"

"Ha ha! Looking for something? Well, geuss what? I already took the treasure! Ohh, you guys are sooo burned!" He charged forward and initiated a battle. "Already, our fourth rumble! I must say, I quite enjoy these tussles. I feel we've gained an understanding..." He hit Lenna with a standard Attack for 493 damage. Nothing a quick Cura couldn't fix. "...an understanding that I will pound you silly! Ha ha!" He dodges a Fira spell from Bartz and counters with another Attack. "Say...what happened to that spry old fellow?"

"He...he fought Exdeath, and..." Krile said, on the verge of tears.

"...I see..." Gilgamesh said. They battled on in silence. "Enough expository banter!" he cried after a moment. "Now we fight like men!" He noticed Krile and Lenna. "And ladies!" Then he looked at Faris. "...And ladies who dress like men! For Gilgamesh...it is morphing time!" His whole body shone with a white light. When it faded, Gilgamesh had grown twice as big and two more arms. Each of his four arms brandished a weapon. He looked at the golden sword he held in one of his new hands. "Now that it's mine, let's see how good this Excalibur is!!" He slashed at Faris, dealing a mere 38 points of damage. Bartz's party quickly began to overpower him with a strong combination of physical and magical attacks. "Have at you!" Gilgamesh shouted and Attacked again for 33 damage. "Ehhh?! Why, I've been had! This is far from the strongest of swords! I feel so betrayed!"

"Gilgamesh!" Exdeath bellowed and startled Gilgamesh. The five warriors stopped fighting at the sound of his voice. "You worthless fool! For your continued bungling, I banish you from this dimension!"

"Wh-what?! No! Anything but that!" Gilgamesh screamed. Everyone looked around, trying to pinpoint Exdeath's location. But he was nowhere to be found.

"Silence!" Exdeath's voice echoed. It filled the hall and seemed to be everywhere at once. Suddenly, a portal opened up beneath Gilgamesh's feet. He plummeted down into the Rift, screaming as he fell.

The portal closed and the floor was solid again. "Gilgamesh!" Bartz cried and ran to the spot where the portal had just been. He punched the ground but it was hard. Almost as if the whole thing had been an illusion.

"Bartz," Faris began. "He was our enemy. We should keep moving."

"I know!" Bartz shouted, tears standing in his eyes. "But, I also think...we had an understanding...He may have been a pain sometimes. But don't you think he was a good guy deep down?! He...he...he was a friend!"

Lenna put an arm around his shoulders. "I feel the same way. It was fun battling with him. But now he's gone...because of Exdeath. That's just one more reason to stand up, and finish the fight!"

"You're right," Bartz said and wiped his tears. "For everyone who's been hurt by Exdeath, victory will be ours!" His allies cheered alongside him and they continued on their path to their most hated foe.

But that is another tale. This tale is of the warrior Gilgamesh, and his unexpected journey to a new world.


	2. Chapter 1: What Kind of World Is This?

Chapter 1

"Well, it sure took awhile, but we've finally managed to obtain the legendary Excalibur." Gilgamesh opened his eyes when he heard the word "Excalibur". He was lying in a pond in an area made up of dense vegetation. He groaned as he sat up.

"Hey! There's someone there!" he heard a girl shout, followed by the sound of footsteps splashing towards him.

"Are you alright?" a man dressed as a pirate asked. Standing next to him was girl with cat ears and a tail. The man had a golden sword that sparkled in his hand.

"Have at you!" Gilgamesh cried and lunged at him. He fluidly moved around Gilgamesh and delivered a swift chop to the back of his neck, bringing him to his knees. "Hey! That's cheating! You can't just move around wherever you damn well please! And where are your ATB bars?!"

"What's this guy talking about?" the girl asked.

"No idea. Listen, there's been some sort of misunderstanding. I'm Rojiel and this is my partner, Sufhi." The cat-girl waved. Rojiel held out his hand to help Gilgamesh up. "Everything's gonna be fine."

_I better play along with these losers if I want to get my hands on that Excalibur,_ Gilgamesh thought. He took Rojiel's hand and stood up. "I am the warrior, Gilgamesh. I seem to have gotten myself lost and I mistook you for monster."

"What are you doing out here, Gilgamesh?" Sufhi asked. "Shouldn't you be in Norg with the rest of the pirates?"

"Pirates? Ha! I'm Exdeath's second-in-command and Bartz's eternal rival! Pirates can't hold a birthday candle to the blazing flame of my winning spirit!"

"Bartz? Exdeath? Never head of them," Rojiel said. He shot Sufhi a questioning glance and she shook her head.

"How can you not know Bartz?! He's one of the greatest adventurers of all time! And don't get me started on Exdeath! He's the only all-powerful lord of everything! He's going to return the world to the Rift and make a new one."

"Wait, we can't let that happen!" Sufhi said. "We like Vana'diel the way it is now and we won't let anything endanger that!"

"...Vana'diel? What's that?"

"What do you mean?" Rojiel asked with a confused laugh. "Vana'diel is the world we live in."

Gilgamesh's eyes widened. "Then...this is another world?" He looked around. None of the landscape seemed familiar. "Wait...I remember now...I was thrown into the Rift after I fought Bartz. Then I must have ended up here. I have to get back!"

Rojiel could see he was getting frantic and gave him a pat on the back. "I don't know about this Bartz guy but we're adventurers too. We'll help you out."

"Yeah!" Sufhi said, trying to cheer him up. "We've gotten out of worse situations than this. We'll make sure you get back to your own world in one piece."

"You'd do that for me?" Gilgamesh asked. He was genuinely grateful to these people for their offer, but his greedy eyes never left Rojiel's Excalibur.

"Of course," Rojiel said. He scratched the back of his head. "Only thing is...I have no idea where to start. We don't even know where you came from, let alone how to get you back." He noticed Gilgamesh had a pained look on his face. "But don't worry! We'll figure something out!"

"Hey," Sufhi said. "We should ask Professor Shantotto. She'll probably know something about this sort of thing."

A horrified look covered Rojiel's face. "Oh, no. No, anyone but her. She'll probably force us to do slave labor for the rest lives; constantly threatening us with a fiery death." He broke out in a cold sweat. "And worst of all, that rhyming is contagious."

"Uh, hey, that sounds like bad news. Maybe being trapped in this world isn't so bad after all," Gilgamesh said and laughed nervously.

"Nonsense!" Sufhi said. "The Professor's not a bad person, she's just...Okay, yeah. She's the worst. But don't you want to help out our new friend, Rojiel?" Rojiel looked away and pretended not to hear. She decided to use one of his tricks against him. "Oh but Mien Kapitän, this moment will only come once in our lifetime. When you look back at this second in time, will you regret your choice? Or will you know that you were able to make the right decision?"

Gilgamesh leaned over to Rojiel and said: "She's good," in a low voice.

"Shut up," Rojiel whispered back, slightly annoyed. "Okay, fine. Let's go see the Professor." His whole body shivered slightly.


	3. Chapter 2: Visiting the Professor

Chapter 2

"Well, here we are!" Sufhi said when they arrived at Shantotto's manor. An awkward silence filled the air.

"Aren't you going to knock on the door?" Rojiel asked.

"No way! You do it!" She shoved him from behind into the door.

"I'm rather busy with work, please go away! Or I'll stab you with a fork, and end your life today!" called a voice from within.

"You weren't kidding about the rhyming thing," Gilgamesh whispered. "You really think she can help me get back to my world?"

"If I put my mind to it, there's nothing I can't do!" Gilgamesh jumped. There was a small woman with pointed ears standing behind him. "I'll take care of it, for a low cost too."

"P-Professor, how nice to see you!" Rojiel stammered. "We were wondering if you could help us with something. We need to get our friend back to his own world."

"I'll do it for a fee, you know I do nothing for free. Now where to start-?"

"Listening to you makes me want to tear out my heart," Gilgamesh said. Rojiel and Sufhi looked at him in shock.

"Well, someone's a poet and didn't even know it," Shantotto said. Everyone else groaned. "Starting rhyming like this was a big mistake. Now it's a hard habit to break. Even though I don't try, I'll probably be doing this 'til I die."

"Anymore of this and I think I'll cry," Gilgamesh chimed in. "You were right, Rojiel, it _is_ contagious."

"I know. It's pretty outrageous," he said and immediately slapped his forehead. "Dammit!"

"Okay, guys, seriously can it," Sufhi said and kicked herself.

Shantotto cackled. "It seems you've fallen under my spell too. Now what can I do for all of you?"

"It's our friend, he's in trouble," Rojiel began. "We need to get him back to his own world on the double."

"It will really be too easy. But did I mention my fee?"

"Yes, but what's the price?" Sufhi asked.

"I doubt she'll give us a discount, she isn't that nice," Rojiel whispered.

"I heard that, you stupid little man!" Shantotto yelled.

"I'm glad you're having fun, but do you really have a plan?" Gilgamesh asked a bit nervously.

"But of course, who do you think I am?" Shantotto laughed with glee. "Now then, I think I'd like more than cash. Slay the dragon east of here and bring me his cache."

Rojiel had been fiddling with things he had found in his pocket but stopped when he realized something. "Wait, you can't say the same word twice!"

"I didn't, pay attention, put down those dice. Is your brain the size of a flea?"

"Yeah, Roj, the word 'cache' ends with an E."

He sighed. "Not you too, Sufhi..."

"Wait, you're forgetting about me!" Gilgamesh yelled.

"Okay! Get out there and slay that dragon! Bring me all its loot in a humungous wagon," Shantotto exclaimed and walked back into her house laughing.

Gilgamesh sighed. "Man, that was terrible. Is the spell broken now?"

"It seems to fade when she leaves," Rojiel said. "Though I don't know how."

Sufhi punched him in the gut. He curled up into a ball, groaning in pain. "Anyways," she said. "Now that that's out of the way, let's get going. I'm sure she'll have something for us when we come back."

"SLASH, move out!" Rojiel cried. "We're on the attack!"

Sufhi slapped the back of his head. "That's not our name anymore. We completed that mission."

"What's that?" Gilgamesh asked. "Sounds cool."

"It's our old team name. I'll tell you about it on the way there," Rojiel said and slung his arm around Gilgamesh's shoulders. They began the trek to the dragon's lair.


	4. Chapter 3: To Slay A Dragon

Chapter 3

Almost immediately after leaving the city, a group of adventurers ran past Gilgamesh and the others headed the other way. "I've never seen something that tough!" one cried as he ran past. "Let's get out of here!"

"It can't be all that bad," Rojiel said and began walking in the direction the group came from. "Nothing we can't handle."

"Th-That's right!" Gilgamesh said. "I'm ExDeath's second-in-command. A dragon will be a piece of cake." He sounded as if he was trying to reassure himself.

Sufhi put a hand on his shoulder and smiled. "Don't worry. We'll get you home."

Gilgamesh nodded. "Alright!" He punched his palm with his fist. "I'm fired up now!" He charged ahead. "Let's go guys!" The trio broke into a run and it wasn't long before the rampaging came into view. "Attack!" Gilgamesh yelled and leapt into the air. He brought his sword down on the fearsome beast, cutting a large gash into its flesh.

It roared loudly, more out of anger than pain. It turned to face Gilgamesh and raised an arm to slash him with its massive claws. Rojiel quickly fired three shots to get its attention and was attacked instead. The blow sent him flying into a cliff wall.

"Rojiel!" Sufhi cried and ran over to him. She knew basic healing magic and laid her hands on his chest. A small light began to glow and his wounds stitched themselves.

"Thanks," Rojiel said and stood up. "Look out!" He cried and dove back onto the ground, pulling Sufhi down with him just in time to avoid another swipe of the dragon's claws.

Gilgamesh continued his attack with his sword. He got in another couple of blows before the dragon caught the blade with its teeth. "Hey! Let go!" Gilgamesh yelled and kicked its face. The dragon bit down hard until the sword shattered into pieces. "Damn! That was my good sword! Nevertheless, I won't give up!" He began to pummel the dragon with his fists until he was knocked away.

Rojiel tried firing at the dragon again but the bullets bounced off of its metallic scales. He ran towards it but was forced to jump back to evade flames spouting from its mouth. "I can't even get near it!" He looked over to Gilgamesh. "Gilgamesh! Catch!" He unslung Excalibur's sheathe from his back and threw it to Gilgamesh.

Gilgamesh leapt into the air and snatched it. He removed it from the sheathe and stared at it. Its golden blade glimmered in the sunlight. Suddenly, he felt a fire burning up inside him. "Alright! For Gilgamesh, it is transformation time!"

Sufhi and Rojiel were blinded by a bright light emanating from Gilgamesh's body. When they could see again, a massive four-armed beast of a man, wielding a different weapon in each hand, stood where he was moments ago. "Gilgamesh? What happened to him?" Sufhi asked in amazement.

"Now you'll see my true strength!" Gilgamesh yelled. His voice had become deeper and held a fierceness it was lacking before. "I will return home to my own world. And anything that gets in my way, will be destroyed!"

The dragon blew its flames his way but he sliced through them with Excalibur and rammed his holy lance into its chest. It howled in pain and swung its arm at him. He blocked with his ax, then jumped back and shot arrows at it from his bow. They all hit their mark and the dragon fell over onto its side, writhing in pain.

"Wow, Gilgamesh is kinda cool," Sufhi said, her eyes sparkling.

Rojiel scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, I guess so," he said with a hint of jealousy.

Gilgamesh approached his fallen foe. "Forgive me," he said and raised his sword. "Rest in peace." He plunged his sword into its head, finishing it for good. "I thank you," he said to Rojiel and returned Excalibur. As soon as it was out of his hand, he changed back to his regular self. "Oh! That dragon just got served! What now?"

"That was incredible!" Sufhi cried. "Come on, let's find that treasure and go back to the Professor."


End file.
